The Día de Muertos Calavera is a Mexican literary tradition in which we are reminded of our mortality through humorous verse. Newspapers publish some of celebrities & politicians, and at school kids write about their families. It may seem morbid, but it’s healthy. #DayoftheDead

We tend to have a funny view of death, both dark and romanticized—we eat skulls made of sugar, after all!

With that in mind, here’s a little impromptu Calavera about the USA.
#DayoftheDead

After a few stumbles & flaws
And many years rewriting its laws
It seemed the US might address
Its past mistakes—at least not regress

But lo they chose a gameshow host
Whose brain & lies were worst than most
A racist child with a silver spoon
His hateful chants were his only tune

Along with Bill & Mitch & Mike
Stephen & Steve, his kids & wife
He turned his desk into a throne
With help from that weirdo, Roger Stone

They came for all they called offender
Whose god or skin or birth or gender
Was different than what was right
Which to them just means ‘white’

A country that was named United
Was more than ever deeply divided
So these last 4 years had been bad
Thanks in no small part to Vlad

But on the eve of democracy’s death
The US gasped its dying breath
Our woeful cries Lady Bones had heard
To take this country back on the 3rd

Death came to us as we writhed
Wielding her enormous scythe
She stared at us, a hollow gaze
And spake this terrifying phrase:

“It might sound quite dull & rote
But if you wish to not be smote
Just make sure you fucking vote
Or else—well, that’s all she wrote.”

#DayoftheDead

Damn. That should be “To take this country back November 3rd.”